Chlorinated polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride and vinylidene chloride based polymers are all recognized for their commercially desirable properties. Modification of these properties by the functionalization of the polymers or by the formation of graft copolymers with the polymers is desirable so that the new polymer product, while retaining some of the properties of the initial polymer, will have additional properties making it suitable for a particular use. The functionalization of and the production of graft copolymers with chlorinated polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride via the formation of an intermediate, respectively, a metalated chlorinated polyethylene or a metalated polyvinyl chloride, have been reported. See "Chemical Conversions of Halogenated Polyolefines Caused by Organo-Lithium Compounds", N. A. Plate et al, Vysokomol. soyed. 8: No. 9, pp. 1562-1567 (1966); "The Role of Chemico-Structural Effects in the Modification of Polymers", N. A. Plate, Vysokomol. soyed. A10: No. 12, pp. 2650-2661 (1968); "Chemical Transformations and Catalytic Activity of Macromolecular Polylithium Compounds Polymerization", N. A. Plate et al, J. Polymer Sci.: Part C, No. 22, pp. 547-568 (1969 ); and "Reaction of n-Butyl-lithium with Poly(vinyl Chloride)", K. Shina et al, Journal of Polymer Science: Part A-1, Vol. 4, 1069-1079 (1966).
The metalation route to the functionalization of and the formation of graft copolymers from vinylidene halide based polymers holds real promise and, therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a process for the metalation of such polymers to yield useful intermediates. The intermediates can be reacted with functional groups and can be grafted onto or from to yield the desired functionalized polymer or graft copolymer.